Flying Solo: Resources for Starting Out and Keeping Up

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Do you want to start your own private law practice but don’t know where or how to begin? The Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library can help! Provided in this blog post are links to several resources that will help you launch your own solo or small firm.

For starters, check out this short video produced by the Texas Young Lawyers Association and TexasBarCLE. It’s an excellent overview of Starting Your Own Practice in Texas, presented by Philip Mack Furlow.

In 2020, the Law Practice Resources Division of the State Bar of Texas launched a unified online platform called Texas Bar Practice. Here, a wealth of valuable information and resources is available to support the practical legal research needs of Texas attorneys. Subscribe to the SBOT Practice Manuals, Pattern Jury Charges, Deskbooks, and Quick Reference Cards. This one-stop shop for all your Texas practice needs is the worth a visit. Check it out!

 Additional Resources are listed below:

• Texas Bar CLE: Managing a Solo Practice?

•  Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA)

  • Survival Guide — This guide is a product of TYLA’s Member Services and Outreach Committee and is modeled after a similar guide produced by the Houston Young Lawyers Association. It is designed to provide fundamental information that new lawyers might not otherwise have at their fingertips as they navigate the first years of practice.

  • Office in a Flash – Support for Adobe Flash software, which is needed to view Office in a Flash, was discontinued in December 2020, so this resource cannot be viewed online, but you may be able to request a copy of this invaluable tool on a USB drive by contacting TYLA at 800.204.2222 ext. 1529 or tyla@texasbar.com. Office in a Flash points to other TYLA and State Bar resources, including the State Bar Advertising Rules, information on client trust accounts, and Ten Minute Mentor videos. In addition, the USB drive includes a free CLE course, “Starting a New Law Office.” Five chapters of the Office in a Flash supplement can be found at the links below:

    • Chapter 1: Business Plan

    • Chapter 2: Office Logistics

    • Chapter 3: Technology

    • Chapter 4: Sources of Revenue

    • Chapter 5: Managing Revenue

• ABA Solo, Small Firm and General Practice Division (GPSolo) — GPSolo Magazine

• General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section of the State Bar of Texas

•  Solos Supporting Solos – Houston – This Houston-based group of solo attorneys typically meets on the third Thursday of every month. Meetings have been suspended during the pandemic, but you can follow the organization’s activities on Facebook.

• SoloSez — SoloSez® is the internet discussion forum for solo and small firm lawyers. As the ABA’s most active email discussion list, SoloSez® features hundreds of solo and small firm e-mail subscribers discussing everything from tech tips and legal opinions to what to wear to court. Anyone can join, even those who aren’t ABA members. Each month, the most popular SoloSez® discussion threads are collected here.

• The Lawyerist Guide to Starting a Law Firm – The Lawyerist is a highly recommend resource for solos of every stripe, from newly licensed attorneys to more seasoned practitioners. The Lawyerist Podcast, which often focuses on technology, tactics, and trends in the practice of law is not to be missed. The hosts, Aaron Street and Sam Glover, authored a book in 2019, The Small Firm Roadmap, which is also worth checking out.

• MyShingle – Carolyn Elefant, a guru of small law, is the driving force behind MyShingle. Her 2008 book, Solo By Choice: How to Be the Lawyer You Always Wanted to Be, continues to be one of the most popular guides for starting your own law practice. Visit her site to download 152 FREE Tools & Resources to Start, Operate and Grow Your Law Firm, as well as many other free ebooks, tools, and workbooks to help you on your path to setting up shop as a solo practitioner.         

• SoloPractice University – Free Guest Lectures (Audio) – Visit the SoloPractice University online to access a growing collection of (mostly) free audio recordings from a number of expert guest lecturers on topics such as Why It’s a Great Time to Start a Solo/Small Firm Practice; How to Value & Sell Your Solo Practice; and How Do You Name Your Law Firm?

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